Of Sneaky Blondes and Regretful Doctors
by gomenasai-for-everything
Summary: Roxas gets sick and goes to Vexen for care, but the doctor, desperate for the admiration he garnered as a human attempts to make him sicker. He, of course, feels guilty immediately and begins to fix what he'd done, but little does he know Roxas has a secret of his own.
1. Chapter 1

A/N Welp, here's number four. Vexen x Roxas. What beauty! Enjoy it everyone.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

* * *

Vexen could remember the days when he was a healer, the days when people admired him because he could fix all that ailed them. Now, as one of the lowest ranking Nobodies, ignored and disrespected, he missed those days with all he had, and longed constantly for one of his comrades to be exposed to one of the rare illnesses that could actually affect a Nobody. That made him horrible, perhaps, but who could truly blame him? The only time he was respected anymore was when one of them became sick, because he was the only one they could go to, he was the only one that could fix them. Not even Zexion, beloved, smart, wonderful Zexion had the medical knowledge he did, and he relished in that. It was his one pride, the one thing that kept him from being turned into a dusk, a worthless husk. A knock sounded on his door and he smirked. Ask and ye shall receive, he supposed as he opened the door slowly, keeping his expression carefully cold, perfectly confident, the expression that had reassured hundreds of patients. The Keyblade wielder appeared on the other side, shivering despite his leather coat. His face was a sheet of gray and his blue eyes were puffy and red. Vexen lost the cool expression with a smirk. Oh, how the mighty had fallen!

"Come in, Roxas, come in. I'll have you fixed up in no time." Roxas sneezed and nodded while Vexen sneered. "Cover your nose, it'll do you no good to get me sick as well. Sit down on the edge of the bed," he ordered. Roxas obeyed immediately and Vexen barely contained a laugh. The Keyblade wielder, obeying him? The power he felt was intoxicating, and he dreamed of feeling it forever. He pulled a chair in front of the boy and sat. "What are your symptoms?"

"I'm really cold, and I can't breath. My eyes are burning and watering, I want to throw up, and I haven't been able to eat anything all day. Axel said to come here. Can you help me?"

"Of course, I'm the only one who can! From what you say it sounds as though you came across a particularly virulent strain of the flu in one of the worlds you've visited, or perhaps you just have a weak immune system. Do you have any memory of getting sick a lot when you were human?" Roxas shook his head.

"I don't remember anything from before..." Vexen hummed.

"Then unless this happens again I'll have to assume you just came across a strong virus. Have you been having any other problems?" Roxas shook his head again. "Then I will retrieve some antibiotics for you. They should get rid of whatever this is in about a week." Roxas, whimpering quietly, nodded, and Vexen stood to wander into the bathroom. As he took the bottle, however, he had a wild thought. What if he made him sicker, forced him to stay under his care? Then everyone would respect him, because he was saving their Keyblade wielder, their chance at a heart! Shakily his hand put the antibiotics back, and took out something else, a very mild poison. He could give it to him for a week, maybe two, without any permanent damage, though it would cause intense discomfort. It was worth it, he thought, as he handed the bottle to the little boy and patted his limp, sweaty blonde hair. A very virulent strain of flu indeed. He watched the boy leave, feeling almost guilty, but quickly decided to forget about it. He would keep a close watch on the boy, so he'd be fine. Of course he'd be fine, he was a doctor! He would always be a doctor, always! He lay back on the bed with a shuddering sigh. No, he'd broken his Hippocratic Oath, he'd never be a doctor again, not really, but he could play at it, he could play at it like he played at humanity. He could still heal. He closed his eyes and waited for Roxas to return.

* * *

Roxas stumbled back to his room, the bottle clutched in his hand, and collapsed on his bed. He popped open the bottle and slid a small white pill passed his lips. It dissolved quickly and left a bad taste that had him coughing, but it faded quickly, and the tiredness that overcame him suddenly would've forced him to ignore it anyway as he fell into a deep slumber. When Axel, who'd come into the blonde's room to comfort his sick friend, grew immediately worried at the sight, especially after he wouldn't wake up, and carried him to Vexen's room. The doctor would know what to do! He banged on the door and the scientist stood from the bed slowly. Had he already been discovered? Was someone here to turn him into a dusk? He opened the door resignedly and saw Roxas in Axel's arms, a limp rag doll.

"Put him on the bed, Axel. I believe I know what has happened, but I'll have to make sure. Pull the coat down to his hips while I get a few supplies, alright?" Axel nodded, his face ghostly pale as he took the zipper of Roxas' coat and slid it down his shoulders. Vexen, who'd been digging through his drawers to find his medical bag, turned around, and saw the black tank top that covered his chest. "The shirt too, Axel. I'll get a better reading if his chest is bare."

"Reading of what?" Axel asked, pulling the shirt from the blonde's limp body and watching as it rose swiftly up and down.

"His heartbeat."

"The hell are you talking about?" Axel snarled, "He's sick, don't pull that shit!" Vexen rolled his eyes.

"The heart we are missing is the figurative one, not the one in our chests. It is a bit harder to hear and feel our heartbeat, but it is there. Now, if you'll stop complaining, I'll see if his has sped up. If it has, then I will know what's wrong." Axel stepped aside and Vexen stepped forward, putting on his stethoscope and pressing the cool end against Roxas' thin, pale chest. The skin twitched, and he listened closely for a few minutes, before moving back. His heart was pounding like a rabbit's, and he sighed. The poison was taking effect, and quickly. He truly would have to keep a good eye on him, to make sure he wasn't harmed. He looked at Axel, who was staring nervously at the boy, and he smirked. The red head would be especially admiring of him soon.

"He is fine, Number Eight, merely having a slight reaction to the medication. He should awaken in about an hour, but leave him here just in case." When Axel appeared unwilling he rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "I will retrieve you the moment his condition changes. Now, please leave." Axel, a little angry and above all scared, left the room with a backwards glance to Roxas, Roxas whose chest heaved and fluttered, Roxas whose cheeks were flushed cherry red, Roxas who was his best friend. Vexen had better fix him if he valued his life.

* * *

After Axel left, Vexen could only stare. Was this boy really so special, so deserving of respect? He was beautiful, of course, that was something he could never deny, and a sort of regal aura surrounded him, reminding him of a child-prince. The Keyblade prince, he supposed. This, however, did not make him worthy of any more than he was! He was just a child, physically weak and mentally naive, a child! His recon skills were woeful, his fighting style wild and lacking real skill, and he never seemed to be without some sort of sweet treat! He was only a child, a little boy, and, oh damn, he'd poisoned him! He'd poisoned a little boy! He could feel Even within him, cursing him to hell, and he noticed suddenly how close he'd come to the boy. He reached out and brushed his bangs away, feeling the fever-hot skin of his forehead, and lifted one of his eyelids. The blue eyes that were revealed were foggy and unfocused. He stumbled back. He'd done this. He'd hurt this lovely, ethereal boy, he'd hurt him! Damn, damn, damn, he hurt him! He was killing him! He ran into the bathroom and grabbed the correct bottle of pills, holding them tightly and waiting for the poison to run its course, for he had no idea how the antibiotics would react with it. He hoped the boy would be alright, and sat down by his bed, holding his clammy hand. His fault, his fault, his fault.

* * *

An hour passed, and he vowed to teach Zexion his trade. The other scientist would never do something like this, would never even think of harming the Keyblade wielder, or anyone else, not like he had. He didn't deserve the title of doctor, perhaps never had, and Even cursed him again, because Even was honest, truthful, good to the core. It was Vexen that was bad, Vexen who wanted to hurt and kill. His fingers ran over the boy's smooth knuckles, the lack of calluses surprising him. Did he heal himself and get rid of them, or was the Keyblade such a holy weapon that it didn't harm its wielder in such a way? He supposed the latter as the soft circles he'd been making grew a little wider, spread a little farther over the smooth expanse of skin. The boy whined and he stopped, but that made him whimper so he continued and the blonde stilled. Such a child, longing for comfort like an infant! He couldn't be angry at him, not now, not after what he'd done.

The guilt gnawed at his chest and he almost felt like telling Axel what he'd done. Axel would solve it, Axel would burn him to a crisp. Axel would probably do that anyway, and he laughed, feeling a little insane. A soft sound came from below him, and he looked down at the blonde.

"You soun' pretty when you laugh, Ve'sen," he mumbled, and Vexen reeled back. What sort of fever dream was he having? "Where ya go? I feel hot, sit wi' me, you're a'ways cold." Vexen stepped slowly forward and sat on the bed. He could allow the child this, could he not? But he shouldn't, the boy should lie with Axel, or even his prized creation, Xion! Not him, not the man who might have killed him! He had no more time to think about it as two arms were flung around his middle and a face dug into his back. He shifted the boy sullenly and lay with him, barely even caring that the little blonde felt like a ball of fire against his side. "S'weird, you're freezin' but A'sel's a'ways hot. S'cuz a the ice, right?"

"Stop talking boy, or you'll make yourself sicker. You need to let this run its course. I gave you the wrong pill, you see, and I know now that I shouldn't have, but I'll make it better. Just as soon as the pill in you now is out of your system I'll give you the correct pill."

"So nice... you're a good doctor, Ve'sen... I think I 'member somethin' from b'fore now... Sora hated doctors, but 'e shouldn't have, right? Doctors are good... you're good, Ve'sen. You take care a me f'rever 'n ever." Vexen gulped as Roxas' hot cheek pressed against his neck.

"I'm not a good doctor, Roxas, I'm a very bad doctor. Next time you get sick go right to Zexion, he'll take care of you properly, and I know he won't make you sicker."

"I don' like Ze'sion. He never talks 'er nothin, he jus' sits around and looks at stuff. You talk to me, I don' care 'fyou messed up, I'll get better, I know it..." his voice tapered off and the room was silent.

"You're too trusting, Roxas. Perhaps you're more like your Somebody than I assumed." Vexen slowly fell asleep as well despite his better judgment, regretfully enjoying the heat the younger Nobody gave off. It had been much too long since he'd felt warm.

* * *

Roxas awoke about a half an hour later, feeling comfortably cool and unwilling to get up. Vexen stirred, and suddenly Roxas realized he wasn't alone and leaped up, though he fell gracelessly back on the bed moments later. Vexen awoke.

"Be still, silly boy, you're still ill. And don't go insane about where you were lying, you asked me to lie with you because my skin was cold. Now, do take your pill. It should have you feeling well enough to go back to your room within the hour." Roxas nodded and took the pill, not noticing that it was a little bigger, a little less powdery, than the one he'd taken the night before. Vexen stood from the bed. "Ah, and please put your coat back on. It had to be removed last night when Axel brought you in for me to check your vitals. You had a mild allergic reaction to the first antibiotic I gave you, so I'm trying a new one instead. Tell me if you begin to get hives, or if you just start feeling sicker than you do now." Roxas nodded.

"You know... your skin really is cold. I remember that. It's because of the ice, right? Just like Axel's fire makes him feel hot."

"Yes, my element is probably a factor in that. I do hope I didn't cause you to get too cold."

"No," Roxas said, zipping up his coat, "it felt nice." Vexen looked shocked.

"You're a strange child indeed. I think it would be best if you went to check on Axel. He'll be happy to hear of your recovery." Roxas nodded once more and exited the room with the new bottle of pills in hand, leaving Vexen once more alone to wonder and to hate himself. He'd fixed his behavior that time, but what if next time he wasn't able to? He truly didn't deserve the title of doctor.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts

* * *

Roxas wandered slowly down the hall, his walk an unsteady weave, and eventually came across Axel, whom he stumbled into. The red head caught him easily.

"Whoa there Rox, what are you doing out of bed?"

"I came to find you. Vexen said you were worried." Axel smiled.

"Don't be silly Rox, I knew you'd be alright. Vexen is nothing if not a good doctor, you know? But you're not doing anything to help by walking around right now! You look like shit man, come on! I'm taking you back to Vexen. I'll visit every day after my mission, and Xion will probably come by too." Roxas whined quietly.

"I can go to my own room Axel! I don't want to bother Vexen!"

"Vexen will fucking live Rox, you need someone to look after you right now, and Vexen hardly ever gets missions. Come on." Roxas, a pout on his lips, followed the twig-like man reluctantly until they reached the door marked IV. Axel knocked. "Vexen! Vexen! I brought Roxas back!" The door opened.

"Why have you brought him back? He has gotten over the allergic reaction, and I gave him a different medication. He's fine, if he goes to his room and rests he'll be back to normal by the end of the week," the man said coldly, his arms crossed over his bare chest. He'd obviously been about to go to bed.

"Too damn bad, I want someone looking after him until he's better," Axel snarled, tightening his grip around Roxas' hand.

"Then you do it. I've done my part."

"No, I actually have missions to do." Vexen winced, and sighed.

"Do come in, Roxas. You may have the bed, I'll set up something on the floor for myself." Axel smirked.

"See you tomorrow Rox, I'll bring Xion with me." Roxas, his lip locked between his teeth, nodded and entered the room. The door closed behind him, and Vexen got to work setting up a pallet on the floor.

"You... don't have to do that. We can share, right? The bed is big enough. Besides, I'd feel bad taking it after Axel sort of forced me on you," Roxas said nervously as got caught in a sneezing and coughing fit. He held his chest when he was done, and once more Vexen winced, not quite sure if that was the final dredges of the poison or just the original illness.

"Do not worry over it. Put your pills on the table and lie down." Roxas did as he was told, but didn't go to sleep.

"Vexen, please? I really would feel better," the boy mumbled, and blonde man sighed.

"As you stated earlier, my skin is very cold. I could make you sicker." Roxas shook his head.

"Nope, you won't! Come on, it'll feel nice. I still have a fever!" Vexen finally relented, and pulled his body onto the bed beside the boy, annoyed that he'd given in so easily. Was this another of the boy's powers, perhaps the reason he was so admired, so useful, to the Organization? His cheek pressed against his bare arm. "See? I can keep you warm, and you can keep me cool! It's good for both of us." Vexen hummed once more, low in his throat, because yes, the fever heat was very nice, he couldn't deny it. He hadn't felt such warmth in ages, not since he'd been human.

"I'll not argue the point, Roxas. Go to sleep, you need rest if you want to get over this quickly." Roxas nodded and pulled him down to lie beside him, burying his head into his chest. The zipper from the boy's coat dug painfully into his side, but he didn't mention it, and soon they were both soundly asleep.

* * *

Vexen awoke the next morning to the sound of Roxas vomiting in his bathroom, and he was by the younger blonde's side almost immediately.

"Are you alright, Roxas?" The blonde shook his head, dry heaving heavily, and Vexen rubbed circles in his back without even realizing as he crouched down beside him. "Did you do anything at all before this happened, or did you come in here as soon as you woke up?"

"I think it's the pill again, I took it and then this happened," he mumbled, clutching at his stomach.

"You truly don't have any memory of before, do you? You have to eat before you take that medicine, otherwise you become ill. Come, I'll escort you to the kitchen," the scientist said, grabbing a coat from his closet and not even bothering with a shirt, though the leather rubbed his skin harshly. He left the room with the boy at his heels, hunched over and pressing both hands into his sides.

The smell of the food cooking in the kitchen had Roxas gagging again, and Vexen covered his nose.

"Go wait in the Grey Area, I'll make something easy for you to eat, then you can take your pill again." Axel was on the boy as soon as he walked into the common room.

"Roxas, what's wrong? You look worse than before!"

"I took my pill without eating. Vexen said that was wrong, but he's making something for me now."

"Idiot, go lie on the couch! You should know better!"

"I don't remember anything," he whimpered, curling into a tight ball as soon as he reached the couch. Axel sat in the chair across from him, and Vexen wandered in, a bowl of something in his hand. "What's that?" Roxas asked, sitting up carefully.

"Chicken soup. It's very easy on the stomach, a good food for when you're ill. Eat, I'll retrieve your medicine."

"I can't... my hands are shaking." Vexen rolled his eyes.

"Axel, go to my room and get the bottle on the counter. I'll feed him." Axel nodded and ran off, while Vexen spooned up a bite of the soup and blew on it delicately, before moving it to Roxas' mouth. The boy ate rather easily, if slowly, and had gone through a decent amount of the soup when Axel returned, and had finished it when Axel left for his mission. Afterward, his hands were steady and he took the pill, though he was still sniffling and the fever hung over him like a cloud of hot air. Vexen escorted him back to his room. "Stay here and rest, I'll be in the library." Roxas attempted to protest, but the medicine sent a sluggishness over him and he wasn't able to speak before the door closed behind Vexen.

"But I want you around, Vexen..."

* * *

When Vexen returned late that evening Axel was laying on the bed by the napping blonde, who was pressed against his side. Liked his cold skin indeed, Axel felt consistently fire hot, almost hot enough to burn him! He curled his lip into a sneer.

"Axel, I do believe that's my bed. If you'd like to cuddle with him I'd assume you could always go to his room, and even your own would be satisfactory. Hell, even Xion would probably welcome you." Axel smirked.

"Jealous, Vexy? Don't feel bad, most people are. Everyone wants Rox to like them, got it memorized? You're not the exception." Vexen continued to stare at him coldly.

"Your catchphrase is rather annoying. I don't see how anyone puts up with it, especially when it's used to support such ridiculous claims. I care little whether or not the child likes me, only whether he gets well and continues to do his job. I'd like a heart just as much as anyone else, you know."

"Don't lie, it's not becoming," Axel began with a laugh, "It's not my fault he's my friend. You just missed Xion, by the way. She was up here with us." Vexen's fists clenched, though he knew he was no match for the hot headed assassin on the bed, and he also realized that the man was just messing with him, attempting to get a rise.

"Leave, Axel. You are not welcomed here. If you want me to continue caring for him then he may stay, but if not then pick him up and go." Axel only continued to smirk.

"When I came in and sat beside him he said you'd gotten really warm all of a sudden. He talks in his sleep, you know? You've been sleeping with him." Vexen didn't want to admit to the blush that crawled across his cheeks.

"He asked me to. He said my skin felt nice, since he has that fever."

"Whatever you say man. Take care of him, okay? In every sense." The smirk on the red head's face as he left infuriated him. Just what did the man think he was implying? That he and the boy were in some sort of relationship? And he'd said it with approval! Why in the world would he want his supposed best friend with a low level piece of scum like him? It wasn't as though he could protect him, if anything the boy could beat him up! Perhaps that was why, he'd never be able to force the little blonde into anything like some of the other members could. Like Axel himself could. It made him shudder softly as he pulled his coat away again, growing tired of the heavy leather, and lay down by the boy, who immediately pressed against him.

"You feel nice again, Vexen. Stop getting hot and turning into two people." Vexen couldn't hold back his laugh. How dreadfully adorable could one boy be? And towards him of all people, the man who'd nearly killed him! Hot lips pressed accidentally against his shoulder as Roxas shifted and Vexen shuddered gently, unwilling to wake the younger blonde. He went quickly asleep after that, not noticing the devilish smirk that curled Roxas' lips.

LINE BREAK

Roxas' plan was working perfectly! He could get Vexen all over him in no time at this rate! He'd even fooled Axel and Xion into thinking he was sick, which he hadn't thought he'd be able to do! It was perfect, he knew, despite the little setbacks like Vexen attempting to poison him. He supposed he could understand why though, and quickly forgave him for it, since the man was so honestly sweet when he was guilty. Plus he'd fed him this morning, which was a really nice addition, especially after he'd forced himself into throwing up that morning. He wondered how Vexen would react when he found out his body temperature was perfectly normal right now. He hoped he'd be happy, and snuggled in a little closer, pressing another gentle kiss to the man's arm before he drifted off to sleep himself, the medicine still making him drowsy, and decided that tomorrow he'd go for the lips, and if the man was unhappy with it he could always blame a fever dream and try again later.

* * *

Vexen thought the little blonde seemed a lot more healthy the next morning, almost miraculously so. He ate breakfast ravenously, he took his pill without throwing up, and he didn't seem too awful tired. A quick touch of his forehead, however, told him that his fever _still_ hadn't broken, and he felt a little worried. If he was otherwise fine, why wasn't the fever going away? Was it the poison? Damn, damn, damn, what would he do? A few more days. He'd give the medication the week it was supposed to have and maybe a few days after before he grew too fearful. Yes, that would work. The medicine would work and Roxas would be fine. He led the boy back to his room and had him lay down, just to make sure the miraculous recovery didn't cease. Roxas seemed ready to protest until he lay down beside him, his coat off to bare more of his icy skin, which Roxas immediately pressed his face into.

"Thanks Vexy, you're really sweet," Roxas mumbled, his fingers trailing teasingly across the other man's chest. Vexen stayed stonily tense, not willing to show that he was affected by what he construed as an innocent gesture. It didn't matter because Roxas appeared to fall asleep, so he merely began to stare up at his blank white ceiling, soaking in the heat the younger offered. That was, at least, until he rolled over on top of him and began to nuzzle his chest, lips pressing feather-light kisses against him. Vexen, of course, attempted to throw him off, or wake him up, or anything really but the boy clung to him determinedly, sleep apparently giving him some strange strength. The kisses trailed up his throat, across his chin, over his cheek, and all the while he lay there tensely, hating his inability to get the boy up and let him know he was doing something he'd soon regret. The kiss pressed against the corner of his lips and he shuddered, feeling himself hardening involuntarily. He felt it pressing against the boy's ass, felt an answering hardness against his stomach, wondered who the boy thought he was. The kisses moved to his mouth, and he felt himself kissing back, not wanting to because, damn, this boy couldn't want him, he was asleep, this was taking advantage of him. His hands moved from his sides to wrap around the boy, and then he was faced with ocean blue eyes. "Hey Vexen," the boy mumbled, pulling his mouth away.

"Roxas... I'm... very sorry," the man mumbled, attempting to roll the younger off of him. Roxas still held on.

"What are you sorry for? I kissed you. I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet," the blonde grinned.

"You don't know what you're doing," Vexen stated, disbelief coloring his words.

"Yes I do. I'm not sick Vexen, I never was. I was faking it, to get you to pay attention to me. I've always thought you were really... sweet. And before you ask about the fever I'm always warm, so you'll get a heater all the time, if you say you like me too."

"Did Axel know?" the older blonde asked.

"Nope, no one did. Do you want me too?"

"Straight to the point," Vexen mumbled, his fingers tightening around Roxas' hips, "Yes. I believe I like you as well. Perhaps love you. I suppose you realize what I did before, when you first came to me?" Roxas nodded and grinned.

"In a weird way that was cute too. You did it because you wanted attention, right? I'll give that to you, Vexen. I promise." Vexen, happier than he'd been in years, lurched up and kissed him while Roxas smiled happily.


End file.
